The Great Commission—“Go and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit” (Matthew 28:19 NLT) is a command, and is the responsibility of every
Christian. If you’ve been taking this mandate seriously, you have probably been
wishing you could go on a missions trip—short term or longer-- but not very
sure about it. When we think about
traditional missions trip opportunities, we need to consider what is involved
in the process, including picking a
geographic location, raising support, getting a passport and visa, getting
immunized, purchasing a round-trip ticket, and of course, tearfully leaving
loved-ones behind. All that sounds like a lot of preparation; however, there is
a unique opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission that does not require any
of that.
So what will this unique opportunity entail? It will
cost you nothing more than the cost of your current living expenses; in other
words, no increase in your daily expenditure. It requires no immunization, no
airline ticket, no passport or visa, and no tearful goodbyes. All you have to
do is leave your home or apartment and perform your usual routines: stroll
through the neighborhood as usual, go to work or school, and go to the bank if
you need to transact a financial business, or go shopping if you needed to buy
something.
What is so unique about this?
This is a unique opportunity because there are people
in all these places who have not heard the gospel, or do not quite understand
it. All you need to do is prayerfully share your faith with whomever you meet,
or invite them to church or whatever small-group you might be a part of. Missions doesn’t always mean you have to
leave home or your country of origin. Mission work is all around us, even in
our homes, and on our streets. If God specifically calls you to leave home and go
to a foreign country, that will be a different story, but until then, be
diligent about sharing your faith right where you are and wherever you find
yourself on a day to day basis.
Our sharing should be both by word and deed. Showing
love and kindness to people usually opens the door for us to verbally share the
love of God. So let’s look out for and grab opportunities God places in our
path. Like in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:33-37), let’s go out of
our way to show kindness to those who need us. Let’s be creative in finding ways
we can serve our neighbors and friends, and in so doing be able to share the
gospel of Jesus that brings salvation to all mankind. The Great Commission
should be taken far and near, home and abroad!
We’ve been saved through the efforts of others who
obeyed the Great Commission; let us also obey it so many more will be saved.
The gospel spreads through multiplication, and we are all called to share it
wherever we go. Let’s not waste time sitting around, waiting for another prompt
from God; this is it. We need compassion for the lost, and the zeal to share
with them. God has given us all we need to live godly lives (2 Peter 1:3), and
that includes the courage and boldness to share with others.
Word of caution: we have not been called to convert
anyone; our responsibility is to share the love of God. It is the Holy Spirit’s
responsibility to convict men of sin and convert. We need to follow our sharing
with prayers that the hearts of those we share with would be softened and that
they’ll understand their need for salvation. Follow-up contacts by phone, text,
or email could help the process, and let’s remember, “A wise person wins souls”
(Proverbs 11:30 NLT). Also, conversions don’t happen overnight in every
situation, so prayerfully exercise patience.
So as you see, sharing the gospel is not that
complicated. The unique opportunity is available to all Christians. And until
God gives you specific instructions to go to another country, seize this unique
opportunity, and enjoy the Great Commission right here at home!
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